How to get to London?

[Sprogonthetyne]

DS really want to go to the natural history museum, but we live in the north so it's going to be quite a travel heavy day trip. I'm looking for suggestions for best way to get there. I've looked up trains and it is doable, but only in budget if we go with cheaper travel times, would only give us a couple of hours there.

I was thinking of possibly driving part / most of the way instead, so we can leave early and arrive home late (DS will sleep in the car). Then do the last leg of the journey at the beginning & end of off peak travel.

Can anybody who knows the south sugest a place that's easy to drive to and leave the car, and also has an easy train /other transport route into London? We're thinking of going autumn half term, but could also do any weekend, if that makes any difference.

Is there anyway you could stay over in London? It might be cheaper to do off-peak trains and night in a cheap hotel. Plus, it would be so much more enjoyable!

Also, the NHM is great, but it's really not worth that level of travel to visit!

Could you do overnight, hotel prices are pretty good at the moment. There are sometimes deals including attractions, meals or two for one. Friends and Family railcard might help reduce the train cost. Agree for NHM alone it is not worth it.

Leave the car at Cockfosters, that's the beginning of the tube so you avoid congestion charge. there's a huge car park there

I would love to do overnight but can't get toddler looked after overnight, and taking her with us would be hell.

Off-peak trains plus cheap accommodation - travelodge, youth hostel etc - make it into a short break.

I'm 180 miles north of Central London (used to live there) and am incredibly familiar with driving in the city but there's no way I'd drive for a day trip. We've been for a lot of short breaks which sounds really fancy and expensive, but with a family railcard, off peak advance train tickets and cheap accommodation it's really do-able. Plus much more of an adventure for the kids. London is such a fantastic city for kids, it's a real waste to go to the trouble and expense of getting there and only stay for a few hours.

How far north are you?
Have you looked at friends and family railcards? They can make a huge difference to train prices.

You can drive all the way and park for free on a side street on a Sunday. Might need to get there before 10am to get a space but we've done it a few times and had no trouble parking a couple of minutes away. Plus early Sunday morning - it's not to busy on the roads. It's also just outside the congestion zone if you come in the right way so you could avoid the charge. The only thing you might need to pay is the emissions charge if you have a diesel car but that may work out cheaper than train/tube fares for you all.

Wait a couple of years and go when you can take the little one and stay overnight. It's honestly not worth the effort for a day!

@Sprogonthetyne

I would love to do overnight but can't get toddler looked after overnight, and taking her with us would be hell.

Toddler would be mesmerised by all the new sights and sounds! (and be shattered so should sleep well!)

If you can't find anyone to have the toddler overnight, how will you be able to leave home early enough and return late enough to get there and back in the day?

parkandridelondon.com/traveling-from/the-south-west I used this before.

Also a premier inn can often be £50ish on a Sunday night.

Not sure where in the north you’d be coming from but Watford might work if you’re using the M1. There’s a station car park and it’s 20 mins by train to Euston. Or Stanmore and get the tube.

Depending on how far you are. Drive to Birmingham. Train is only 1h24 from there.
I used to regularly get the 10am train arrive by 11:30 then leave at 7 back in brum for 8:30
Those are the cheapest times to travel but I would advise a Thursday if you can

I’d drive down and park at Westfield Stratford (£16 for 24 hours and it’s a really safe car park). Get the tube in from Stratford, have some tea at Westfield before you go home.

@Danikm151

Depending on how far you are. Drive to Birmingham. Train is only 1h24 from there. I used to regularly get the 10am train arrive by 11:30 then leave at 7 back in brum for 8:30 Those are the cheapest times to travel but I would advise a Thursday if you can

You absolute star! Off peak family travel card from Birmingham is £30, and covers tube/bus aswell.

Make sure you book your entrance slot to get into the NHM - we tried to get in recently and it was fully booked

Glad you’ve got this sorted. I was going to suggest parking at Watford - huge station car park, £6 to park all day. Have a fabulous time!

@chorizoTapas

Leave the car at Cockfosters, that's the beginning of the tube so you avoid congestion charge. there's a huge car park there

Lots of people seem to use Cockfosters like this; it works well, completely minimises urban driving for anyone nervous about doing so and yet is a straight run through to the museums on the Piccadilly Line (do check the TFL website though as I think they were doing some work at South Ken underground station).

Cockfosters carpark is massive so you're very likely to find a spot, but there is also some parking on side streets if you are prepared to walk for ten mins to get out of the controlled parking zone around the station.

Expect to queue to get into the museum though, especially in the school holidays, and potentially again to get into the dinosaur hall. For this reason, I think a cheap overnight stay would be preferable if you could stretch to it.

NB There are proposals to build flats on Cockfosters carpark so if this thread resurfaces in a year or two, check before setting off!

Add on question!

It looks like we'll be able to get about 6 hours in London, apart from NHM, what would you recommend? Preferably that's vaguely in that area as I don't think we'll be able to stomach much more travelling.

Princess Diana playground in Hyde Park, Kensington Palace, Buckingham Palace and St James Park, Westminster, walk along Southbank, red bus tour (some offer tea or themes) which would give an overview or river boat.

Remember the museum (plus lunch) will easily take 3-4hrs or so. Its massive. Plus the travel time across London from the station.

Science Museum is next door too,

Science museum & a run around Hyde Park (both right on top of the NHM) I wouldn’t plan anymore than that for one day

@eyeoresancerre

You can drive all the way and park for free on a side street on a Sunday. Might need to get there before 10am to get a space but we've done it a few times and had no trouble parking a couple of minutes away. Plus early Sunday morning - it's not to busy on the roads. It's also just outside the congestion zone if you come in the right way so you could avoid the charge. The only thing you might need to pay is the emissions charge if you have a diesel car but that may work out cheaper than train/tube fares for you all.

It’s 7 day a week congestion charge arm but a regular under c15 yo car even diesel wouldn’t pay the ULEZ charge. Check first!

Original poster you are travelling to my part of town being core central London near the Thames. Depending on where in the north you are located I can suggest Oxford as a transit point primarily because (if you are driving south on the M40 from the Midlands and further north) there is 24 7 frequent and inexpensive coach transportation between Oxford and London with Oxford Tube coaches and X90. It is easy to park in north Oxford at Thornhill Park and Ride next to the A40/M40 where both coach services connect to. It’s just an hour of so from there to central London.

While at South Kensington Natural History Museum you will be next to the Science Museum, V&A, and short stroll to Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Knightsbridge, Marble Arch/Oxford Street, Mayfair, St James etc. We live and school here and I have taken my child to the three South Kensington museums countless times in past years plus Diana Memorial Garden sunken pond for a dip and stay and play at the nearby Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens too. Both are of these are ideal for a toddler more for locals within walking distance as it’s just a play area and not worth a special trip from out of town! The Marble Arch mound is nothing to write home about as it is simply a 20/30m high scaffolding with a fake green covering and steps going up the side. It’s not high enough to see much! I recommend a boat trip on the Über Boat Thames Clipper perhaps from either side of Battersea Park so either Chelsea Bridge Battersea Power Station or Cadogan Pier north of Albert Bridge and then travel eastwards along the Thames perhaps as far as under Tower Bridge in the City etc. You can then enjoy Tower of London and the City or walk along the South Bank over the Millennium Bridge to Tate Modern, Shakespeare Globe and the other theatres to then cross over to Trafalgar Square and the various galleries there with Convent Garden and Chinatown etc. These are my usual day trips I have done tried and tested but obviously not all in one day with a toddler! There are countless attractions in central London and the one positive from the pandemic is the lack of international tourists and luxury goods shoppers so smaller crowds. Many of us have also escaped London for the country during the summer school holidays as working remotely too etc.

Hope this helps and have a good trip!

Stay over in a premier inn or somewhere and take toddler. They love London, it wouldn’t be such a rush and you’d all enjoy it more.
The museum is fine for little ones. Add in Hyde park and somewhere like St Paul’s Cathedral or a Thames clipper ride on the Thames.

Don’t drive it would be complicated and much harder work. Just plan your London time so it’s not all crowds and tight control. Lovely parks in London and fun travelling by boat.